Mutant X: The Return
by Scott Summers
Summary: In space, Havok leads a team of heroes against a crumbling Shi'Ar Empire. But what if he's needed somewhere else even more? Chapter One: My name is Alex Summers.


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_The Starjammers -- or what's left of them -- need Alex Summers and his small team of X-Men to help them defeat Vulcan, the new Shi'Ar Emporer... but what if he's needed somewhere else even more? Thanks for reading!_

**MUTANT X: THE RETURN**

**_Chapter One: My Name is Alex Summers_**

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_My name is Alex Summers. _

_I have been known as Havok – leader of X-Factor, leader of the X-Men. _

_I still have a hard time saying that last bit._

_I've been known as the younger brother of Scott Summers for far longer. My entire life, actually. _

_I used to have a joke about my mother calling me Scott's little brother before she called me Alex. _

_My therapist told me it wasn't funny._

_Two days ago I was in space, leading a small group of… well, heroes… against a threat so terrible, so evil, it was tearing a galactic empire to pieces. _

_It'd be honorable if I could tell you I was doing it for all of the innocents this evil – this tyrant – threatened to destroy… and I suppose that in a way, well… I was._

_But I was doing it more for revenge._

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"You've been having the dreams again."

"Lorna, please."

"Don't 'Lornaplease' me, Alex. Even if I wasn't worried sick about you _every single day_ because you're straining yourself, leading the Starjammers – and … well, whatever the rest of us are now… constantly comparing yourself to…"

"Damnit, Lorna. Don't even say his name. This isn't about him."

"For once, Alex…"

"This has _nothing _to do with Scott!"

Lorna pulled her thick green hair back, flashing Summers a look he only received when he cut her off mid-sentence. He'd just done it three times.

"No, Alex. It's about your father."

"Why is that a bad thing?"

"You aren't being selfish if you think about yourself for once, Alex. Do something for _you_."

"I'm doing this for all of us."

Lorna chuckled condescendingly. "Are you?"

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"You're no good to us if you don't get any sleep, Alex," Rachel Grey – Phoenix – said early the next morning as she entered the Starjammer's bridge. Alex sat at the helm.

"You're no good to us if I kill you," he said as he swiveled his chair to face her. "Morning, Rachel. Lorna send you in here?"

"Haven't talked to her yet, huh?"

"Can't say that I have."

"Guess you can tell that I have," she replied, sitting in the chair next to him.

Havok sighed. "I really don't want to talk about it."

"Makes two of us," she said coolly. "Too awkward."

Havok felt awkward himself – technically, yes, he was her uncle… but the memories she had of him weren't any of his own. Alternate realities and all that.

"Havok," Rachel's tone changed, "there is just one thing."

"What?"

"I'm a telepath – and those dreams you're having? They're not just having an effect on you. I can barely sleep myself… even if I couldn't _hear _you… _and believe me, _she thought to herself, _I can understand why Lorna would want some sleep with you screaming like that_… well, I can _feel _it."

Alex simply looked at her, finding himself at a loss for words. Rachel broke the silence.

"Why haven't you ever told anyone about being married to Madelyne Pryor? Where the hell were you?"

"Another world," he answered almost too quickly. He hadn't been able to think about anything else lately – even with everything at hand, his war with Vulcan – the newly-crowned Shi'Ar Emporer.

And his brother.

"How often do you talk about the one you grew up in? It's over."

Rachel was somewhat surprised at his tone – and at the implications thereof. So was he. "I'm sorry, Rachel."

"Don't worry about it."

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_My name is Alex Summers._

_I've also been known as Havok – leader of the Six. Bloodstorm, Ice-Man, the Brute, Archangel and Marvel Woman._

_Two days ago I was leading a group of heroes through space, battling an entire empire to do little more than avenge my father's death._

_I woke up this morning on Earth._

_But not mine._

_I've been here before._


End file.
